Saturday, August 26, 2017


Crieff's David Simpson is new P and K

match-play champion

By IAIN BUTCHART
Local star David Simpson won the Perth and Kinross county match-play championship at Crieff Golf Club where he finished two up in the final against  Strathmore junior member Alex Simpson.
A scrappy start with three-putts from David at the second and third holes and then a similar error from Alex at the fourth saw the boys all square on the fifth tee but both over par.
The fifth was halved in 5 and a missed tiddler by Dave at the sixth saw Alex go one up.
Way right off the seventh tee, Alex hit the shot of the round with a drilled punched "exocet," never more than 3ft off the ground from 160 yards out, to the left edge of the green  and he compounded the wound by chipping in for a 3 to go two up.
Alex gave Dave a lifeline at the eighth, however, by being right off the tee again and short right on the bank with his pitch. He could not get up and down, so back to only one up.
Long ninth was halved in par 5, and 10, 11, 12, shared in regulation, but the 13th was  crucial with Dave getting back to level terms when Alex again three-putted.
The 14th  was halved in regulation too.  Dave was through back on 15 and then  played his only poor chip from the wet lie, losing the hole and giving Alex control again.
It was not to last long however. At the 16th, both hit big tee shots with Dave's drive being 20 yds ahead of Alex's tee shot with a rescue club, but Alex lost control of the game when after a sound approach pin high, he again three-putted from 15 feet, and Dave got his 4, chipping dead from the right-hand back edge.
The 17th sealed it for David, as Alex blocked his tee shot and then hit a poor pitch from the bunker face and missed the putt. Dave, now tail up and one up,  boomed his drive down 18, pitched close and when  Alex mishit his pitch he conceded the match. David the winner by two holes.
 
Great show from Alex, big scalps and huge positives to take from series of games, and what will he be capable of when he replaces his driver and hits it even further?
Congratulations to David for his first county match-play championship. It's taken him 12 years to recover from the beating George Stubbs gave him  (we think in 2005).
Huge thanks to Crieff,  General Manager Anna Maclean, David Murchie and Hazel in the Pro shop, Charlie  MacDonald and all the greenstaff,  Wattie and Caroline behind the bar and and of course the members for allowing us the courtesy of the course which as always was in sparkling condition, but most of all to Morven in the clubhouse who looked after me so well! Food drink and all the extras.

Special mention to Brechin Golf Club and Old Ranfurly golf parties for their courtesy in waving the final through on seven separate  occasions. It was so  refreshing, and made for great fun as we chatted and compared swings

RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS
A Simpson bt G Campbell at 19th.
S Michie bt J Barrett 2 and 1.
E D Farquharson bt A Jackson 1 hole.
D Simpson bt S McKendrick at 19th.

SEMI-FINALS
A Simpson bt S Michie.
D Simpson bt E D Farquharson

FINAL
D Simpson bt A Simpson 2 holes.

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